Mistaken Identity
by Sar'Kalu
Summary: On Hold. TwinFic. Harold Evans Potter and his brother James Sirius Potter are mixed up at birth, thus it's not surprising that the wrong twin is chosen as the Boy-Who-Lived. Rated for later chapters. Covers yrs 1-7. Slight Dumbledor bashing, Snape mentoring, and political/in-depth pureblood/elitist manipulation.
1. Prologue: Birth

**Prologue: Birth.**

"I would like to announce the birth of my twin sons! James Sirius Potter, the eldest, born at 11:59 on July 31st! And Harold Evans Potter, the youngest of my sons, born on the 1st of August at 12:02!" James Harold Potter shouted as he bounded into the waiting room holding two children in his arms. His thin face was flushed with excitement and happiness. Two identical children sat in his arms, the largest was James Sirius, while the smaller was Harry Evans, both had black hair and blue eyes. And both were squalling in anger at being taken from the nice warm room they'd been born in. Their mother, Lily Jane Potter née Evans followed their overly excited father. Their Uncles Sirius Orion Black, Remus John Lupin and Peter Andrew Pettigrew were waiting in the lounge. The boys had been born a few days ago and this was the first time their uncles had seen the infants.

"Oh James, calm down," Lily laughed happily, her green eyes shining with pure pleasure. "They're only young, don't jostle them too much." Lily looked at her husband indulgently, equally proud of their bundles of joy as he was. Albeit, less bouncy about it.

Her husband faltered, "Oh, yeah, sorry love." He looked at her sheepishly.

Sirius Black leapt up and ran to his nephews, while not blood related, the Potters were the closest thing he had to a family, and as such was quick to scoop young James Sirius into his arms. While Remus gently tickled Harry's face. Peter hung back, looking nervous.

"Sirius, Pete, you okay with being the godfathers?" James asked his friends, not noticing the flash of resentment and hurt that appeared on Remus' face.

"O-of c-course, James," Peter stuttered in shock, he was good enough to be a godparent? Peter broke out into a wide smile. "I'm guessing that Jamie will be Sirius' godson, which means I'll be Harry's?" Peter inquired hopefully.

"Jamie?" James blinked in surprise, "I like that, Jamie. My son James Sirius, Jamie Potter." James grinned delightedly, slapping Peter on the shoulder.

Peter grinned back, happy that his nickname had been well received by the new father. "I'm glad you approve." Lily rolled her eyes at Peter, he was always so unsure. But very sweet.

"Of course we approve Pete, it's a great nickname. It certainly would have been confusing to have two James' around." Sirius laughed. Remus joined in weakly, he wasn't a godfather, and he suspected it had something to do with his wolfishness. Typical.

"I'm sorry, but I can't stay," Remus said suddenly as his magical pocket watch made a shrill whistling noise, startling the twins and his friends. "I have something to do. Which I can't believe I actually forgot!" Remus blanched, he had a meeting with Fenrir Greyback in twenty minutes if he didn't turn up he'd be shredded. Not to mention that Albus would be mightily disappointed with him if he bailed out on the negotiations with the vicious werewolf.

"What?" James asked suspiciously, they all knew there was a spy in the Order, and right now Remus was acting a bit strangely. Running away from his nephews? Now? Why hadn't he mentioned this before?

"Mission for Dubledore! He's going to kill me!" Remus said whimpering, uncertain if he was talking about his fellow were of the Leader of the Light. "Gotta go! See you all later." With that the distraught and unhappy werewolf fled the happy family and godparents. Not realizing his actions only cemented his 'betrayal' in the minds of James and Sirius. After all everyone had checked out bar Peter and Remus. And really, they thought, who would ask Peter to spy for them?

Reluctantly the new family returned their attentions to the twins babies, their thoughts shadowed in darkness as they unwillingly contemplated the possibility of betrayal from their best friend and brother. It would be a while before anything happened, but during that time it became unfortunately clearer to those who were suspicious that just maybe, possibly, Remus J. Lupin was the rat within the Order of the Phoenix and more than willing to sell out his friends to the darkest of Dark Lords


	2. Chapter 1: Halloween Eve

**Chapter One: Halloween, October 31st, 1981.**

Peter snuck up to Riddle Manor, tonight it would happen. Not only would he get revenge on James for the years of insults, but he would be given the chance to take a crack at Sirius too! Remus would keep, he'd slipped off the radar after the twins had been born. Peter sneered in disgust, the wolf had been pathetically hurt at being over looked and not named as godfather. Who would choose him anyway? Peter was chosen, not that wolf. Something that had kept a warm glow curling in Peter's chest. Peter entered the throne room, throwing himself at the feet of his lord and master.

"Ah, wormtail, you have everything?" The Dark Lord asked cruelly.

"Yes Master, tonight the whole family will be there, they plan on leaving the twins with Sirius Black after the party. They suspect nothing, in fact they blame the wolf." Peter giggled a little madly.

The Dark Lord let a cruel smile caress his lips. "Excellent. Lead the way then, Rat." And so Peter did. His betrayal freeing his soul. His twin, his godson, was to spared and brought up as a new death eater. Peter led the Dark Lord and his brethren to Godric's Hollow, where at his whisper, the Potter house appeared. Peter never saw the killing curse that was tossed his way. Nor did it occur to him that he was as hated in the Death Eater ranks as he had been scorned by James and Sirius. Peter never really did understand loyalty.

The Dark Lord swept across the threshold, leaving Black to be dealt with by Bellatrix Lestrange, his most loyal and fanatic servant. After all, they were due a little family reunion. The Dark Lord sneered in disgust as he entered the nursery, pale gold and red, hideously Gryffindor. The babes were asleep, they didn't make a sound. For that, the Dark Lord was thankful, he had hated the squalling children that had infested the Orphanages nursery. Had hated looking after them. The boys were identical, no longer was one bigger than the other, there were no distinguishing features between them. Until they opened their eyes. According to Wormtail the boys had kept their blue baby eyes until recently. Now the eldest had the hazel eyes of his father with green shot through them. While the youngest, Harry had sparkling emeralds for eyes with gold flecked through them. Such strange eyes. Avada Kedavra green. Eerily silent and cold, was how Peter had described them. The Dark Lord grinned silently.

The Dark Lord cursed quietly, the floor boards squeaked beneath the shaggy, cream-gold, carpet. The Dark Lord regarded the children silently. He knew he was supposed to save the green eyed one, but that stare was so eerie. Wormtail had been right about that unnerving look. Flicking his eyes towards the hazel eyed twin, James, he looked less aware. Strange really, the innocence of that gaze made his insides curdle. He instinctively hated the hazel eyed twin, but he feared the unnatural green eyed stare of the other. So he chose. Green eyes. Green for Avada Kadavra. Green for Slytherin. Green was his favourite colour. The Dark Lord chose his nemesis. The Dark Lord chose Harry Evan Potter, while his horrified hazel eyed twin watched. The sickly green spell shot towards the children, and hit a white barrier. The twins were holding hands, the green eyed one was focused though, while the hazel eyes one screwed up his face and tried not to cry. The curse rebounded. The curse returned back the way it came, this time though it was different. No longer sickly in colour it was emerald green and healthy. It was sent back in love. The boys didn't understand what was happening, but their love and twin bond save their lives. But only one of those boys implemented the rebound. And it wasn't the twin that many thought. And so the Dark Lord died, his soul ripped from his body and sent wailing to the abyss. While both twins were marked with the lightning bolt of a curse scar.

When Sirius Black managed to stumble upstairs after stunning and binding his cousin Bella, he found the twins huddled in their cot. A black cloak marring the floor. It didn't take a genius to figure out what had happened. Scooping up both children, Sirius ran for it. He knew what had happened and so he ran. He found Lily and James at Frank and Alice Longbottoms house, there in a near collapsed state, he managed to garble out a message. But only one thing made it to the couples ears.

Voldemort was dead. The twins saved them.

Lily broke down into tears, patting her two children she reassured herself they were both okay. James looked down at his eldest, they were okay. Frank and Alice freaked out, and went to check on their child. They found Franks' mother insanely cackling on the floor, and their infant son, Neville howling on the floor behind the couch.

Dumbledore quickly figured out that it was the eldest twin that had saved them. What he didn't know was that due to the twins identicalness, that over the course of the year that they had been alive their identities had been swapped several times. After all, it wasn't at all usual that twins, let alone any child didn't develop an eye colour until they were a year old. But by then both boys were completely identical in height, weight, and personality. Their twin bond keeping them quiet and sedate. And so the youngest, not the eldest son was hailed the savior of the wizarding world. James Sirius Potter, born not when the seventh month died, but rather when the eighth month dawned, was hailed the savior, the Boy Who Lived.


	3. Chapter 2: Childhood

**Chapter Two: Childhood**

**:Seven Years:**

Lord James Charlus Potter, and his wife Lady Lilian Potter were seated in the kitchen. The twins James Sirius (Jamie) and Harold Evan (Harry) were sitting next to them. Lily was serving her eldest son his preferred breakfast of scrambled eggs. Her youngest Harry watched her fuss about blandly, his emerald eyes were unnerving in their intensity; more often then not, the adults found themselves avoiding that implacable green stare, shivering under its intensity. Perhaps that, more than anything, was why Lily and James avoided Harry's company. While her eldest Jamie was much loved and cared for, far more so than he ought to be. As Lily rolled a thin sausage upon her youngest's plate - sliding her gaze beneath the green stare that mimicked her own - Jamie watched his mothers movements curiously. He was trying to figure something out, from his observations, he could clearly see that Lily and James avoided Harry like the plague, while treating himself like a prince. This was something that didn't make sense to his brother or to him, and had left the pair very confused.

"Mum, why don't you treat me and Harry the same?" Jamie asked finally, pinning down what was different. His brother, Harry looked up and met his twins eyes briefly before dropping his head silently and returning his attention to his toast. Jamie had never found Harry's gaze to be heavy or uncomfortable, instead knowing that his brother saw things unlike anyone else, often trusted Harry to observe and cut things down to size for Jamie. While Jamie helped the green eyed boy to socialise with people his own age, something Harry found difficult.

Lily flushed, her actions becoming flustered, "Oh, well, it's because you're special, son." Jamie and Harry watched as she busied herself at the sink, her eyes lowered and her shoulders hunched in guilt.

"What do you mean by special?" Jamie asked quietly, he could feel his brothers tenseness beside him. Harry was uneasy with this conversation. Harry was often uneasy with things he was unable to understand, it left him confused and angry and Jamie was the only one who could calm the green eyed twin down.

"We mean that you save the world from Voldemort, you destroyed him when you were one and a half. You're special son. Harry isn't. Harry didn't do anything that night." James said calmly, ignoring the hiss of pain his youngest let out at his words. The sheer emotional damage that occurred in that one sentence for both twins was irrevocable.

"I see." Jamie replied, setting his cutlery down and standing. "Thank you for telling me." With that James Sirius Potter walked from the kitchen and left his parents in confusion behind him. Jamie was always polite, something his parents had instilled into him from a young age, Harry for his part was less so, and generally stayed silent.

Harry blinked at his brothers reaction, it wasn't like Jamie to be so sensitive about such things. But then the bond between twins is far stronger than most people think. Mimicking his brothers actions Harry left his parents to discuss Jamie's reaction to what they had just said. It would be interesting to see what Jamie would do, he was particularly stubborn, more so then their parents.

* * *

Jamie sat in the library, waiting for his brother. It was three weeks since the situation with Voldemort was revealed. And both boys were disgusted to learn that only Jamie would be trained. Not Harry. Never Harry. Jamie wasn't sure why, after all as the brother to the Boy-Who-Lived, surely Harry should be trained for his own protection too? It didn't make sense to the innocent and sheltered Jamie, who unlike his brother preferred to read action and adventure stories to history books and fairy tales. His hazel eyes stared out of his favourite window and let his mind wander to a place, far away from here, where he was a talented Quidditch player or knight in shining armour on a marvellous adventure, where there'd be hardship for sure, but he'd be guaranteed a happy ending. Because, like it or not, as the Boy Who Lived, Jamie couldn't see any possibility of a happy ending here; Voldemort was dark, powerful and dangerous. Jamie was just a seven year old kid who got lucky, in his opinion. Jamie sighed, he was so screwed.

Harry, who was emotionally undeveloped in comparison to Jamie, understood perfectly. He knew, from his parents worried and stressed expressions that Jamie was really expected to survive the next twenty yeas of his life. Hell, Harry thought as he entered the library to find his brother seated under their favourite window swinging his feet innocently, he probably wouldn't make it to nineteen, let alone thirty. Voldemort was close to seventy years old, knew the darkest of arts and was apparently immortal. As he seated himself across from his brother, Harry knew that for his brother to survive this coming war, because there would be a war, Harry wasn't so naive as to think there wouldn't. He sighed and forced himself to look at his brother. If there was a war coming, and he knew there was, then they as the next leaders would need to have a large amount of knowledge between them. It was a good thing, Harry mused, that they loved the library already. It had been their escape from boredom, now it would be their ticket to killing a man.

The Potter Library was one of the largest collections of books in the South of England, it had floor to ceiling of shelves in neat rows assorted by their main subject. There was on the main floor a podium that held a large thick book that allowed any prospective reader to browse the shelves with a tap of their wand and a spoken word. So far only the history and 'muggle literature' shelves had been touched by the twins, but that was about to change.

"What do we do?" Jamie asked his brother.

Harry might have problems socialising but he was quick, clever and intelligent. It was hard to pull the wool over those green eyes. Perhaps it was because his parents favoured his brother and so he wasn't hugged as much by his parents, which in his modest opinion was ridiculous. Harry thought the reasoning for his social problems correlated to his extreme intelligence. Who needs friends when you can solve the worlds mysteries?

Harry smiled. "We need to shelve any and all books to do with muggle stuff and tart reading Mother and Father's old school books."

Jamie made a face. "But Harrryy.." He whined slightly, flinching back at Harys cold glare.

"No, Jamie!" Harry snapped, scared. "You don't understand, Mother and Father are training you because they don't expect you to survive your twentieth birthday!"

Jamie shivered at the force behind Harry's agitated words. "Come on, Har, it can't be that bad! Sure You Know Who is powerful, but-"

Harry cut his brother off with a jerk of a hand. "Jamie, Voldemort is over _seventy years old_! He's as close to immortal as one can get, he's so deep into the dark arts there are eye witness accounts of him having blood red eyes. You won't survive your first encounter with him if _you don't train_!"

"_I know that!_ Don't you think I know this _already_?!" Jamie shouted, ignoring the fact that he had been happily ignoring these facts before now. "But what am I supposed to do, Harry? _Huh_? Forget about having fun, dedicate myself to learning all the time, ignore the fact that _I'm just a kid?!_"

Harry shivered, Jamie rarely shouted, but when he did his anger was hard to ignore. Harry waved Jamie back to his seat, trying to fight the tears in his prickling eyes.

"I know! Okay, I _know_!" Jamie whispered, his hazel eyes watching his brother bite his lip and ignore the sparkling tears that threatened to fall.

"I'm scared Jamie!" Harry admitted finally, several tears splashing, against his will down his front. "Mum and Dad don't expect to you to survive! I can't lose you, Jay. You're all I've got, I don't want to be siting next to your grave in twenty years talking to you. I want you in front of me, alive, well, happy!"

Harry was working himself into a hysterical state. It was rare, but it did happen occasionally. Harry fought his emotions each and every day, pushing back the hurt ones and ignoring the positive ones, focussing on what he termed 'his Work'. So when he did break down, his bottled emotions erupted spectacularly and with extreme prejudice.

Jamie felt a few tears slide down his own cheeks, his own parents weren't expecting him to manage this. Maybe they were right, he thought to himself unhappily. His dejection and depression at the situation taking hold.

"_No_!" Harry said violently, leaping forward and alternately beating and hugging his brother hard. "You _can't_ die, I _won't_ let you!"

Harry ran to the podium that held the Catalogue. Tapping it with his finger and speaking in a wobbly voice Harry raced around the library collecting books of all shapes and sizes. Dropping them on the table in from of their window, Jamie watched his brother crazily collect every book pertaining to first and second year magical studies.

"Here!" Harry said wildly, his green eyes wide with fervour. "We read, we study! _And you. Won't. Die_!"

Harry glared forbiddingly at Jamie.

Jamie couldn't help it, he let out a hiccuping sob and threw himself at his brother. Harry was so worried and distraught over this. He wasn't alone, he could tell from Harry's words that Jamie would never be alone. His parents might forsake him to You Know Who, but Harry never would.

"We read, we study!" Jamie agreed once he'd recovered, drying his eyes on the sleeve of his t-shirt. Harry nodded in agreement and the duo sat at the table and pulled the nearest book towards them.

Harry paused after a few pages, a thought occurring to him. "Hey, Jamie, what do we do about Mum and Dad?"

Jamie blinked, the thought having not occurred to him. "I don't know, not really. I mean they don't even think I'll survive so," Jamie screwed his face up as he bit his lip.

"You don't want them here, do you?" Harry asked shrewdly. His brother ducked his head ashamed.

"No." Came the whisper. "I can't. I won't let them. They don't believe in me, so I won't believe in them."

Harry nodded, satisfied. "Very well."

The twins returned to their books, solidly assured in naivety that despite being younger and possibly less powerful, they would be able to beat Voldemort because Harry said they could. So deep was this belief that neither decided to question the other, their mutual minds made up that questioning could only lead to harm and so, voiceless, they bolstered the others resolve. They would survive and they would win the coming war, because in their seven year old minds, they were invincible like the knights and wizards of old.

**:Eight Years and Nine Months:**

Harry Evans Potter walked into the sitting room of Potter Manor, his brother and twin, James Sirius Potter or Jamie, walked two steps behind him. Harry really didn't like the attention his parents gave him, uncomfortable as he was with contact, however, he'd been annoyed and irritated with Jamie's inability to dress fast enough. The walls were tastefully painted cream with red highlights, and the couches were deep red leather. On them sat the Potter Lord and Lady.

The boys parents had tried to be fair, they really and truly did, but their inexplicable guilt, horror and pride over the past eight years apparently gave them clearance to spoil their favourite son. Their little hero. The thought of Jamie dying before his time, led both parents to overindulge him. But despite this their son was remarkably well balanced and informed about the world and very knowledgable in his subjects. Both parents were very proud, despite them having no reason to be.

As for their youngest son, Harry, both Lily and James Senior thought he was lesser than his brother. He had never had a magical explosion, nor any kind of accidental magic. And Lily was starting to worry about Harry being a squib. James didn't particularly care either way, Harry wasn't Jamie; and that was that in James' eyes. Harry hated this careless attitude of his parents, Jamie equally so as both hated the extra or lack of attention they received, both twins thinking the other their only equal. Twins were occasionally like that, (according to the psychological studies Harry had once read) and they had an unshakable bond of brotherhood and friendship.

"Ah, here he is, my eldest and heir, and our little Hero." James Potter exclaimed standing up to tackle his son. The boy looked exactly like his father, hazel eyes, bony knees, and bad eyesight. Harry was skinnier and had emerald eyes like his Mother, something that had once made his Father proud, and now was the only way of differentiating between the Hero and the Dunderhead. "What were you up to, little hero?"

"Harry and I were reading." Jamie replied cautiously. Now at nearly nine, Jamie knew that his brother would always get in trouble for the stupidest things, because of this Jamie didn't trust his father or mother, and would be sure that both understood that Jamie made most of the decisions.

"What were you reading honey?" Lily Potter asked her favourite son. When pressed to argue that she didn't favour her 'eldest' son, Lily would falter and then brighten, saying it was only his due. Something her little honey, her little hero hated and detested.

"Beedle the bard. It was my choice." Jamie replied stiffly as he was enveloped in a hug by his mother. "Let me go mother, I don't want to be hugged right now."

Lily's face fell, "Oh, okay sweetie." She frowned, that had been happening a lot recently, ever since the twins seventh birthday, or perhaps even before that. She couldn't quite remember; it was like Jamie wasn't forgiving them for something, what had they done wrong? Lily certainly couldn't think of anything off the top of her head.

Harry rolled his eyes, his twin was a bad actor as always (of course, Jamie would have gotten tired of pretending within the first few minutes) his actions clearly showing his disapproval of their parents actions. Avoiding their parents, avoiding contact. Claiming he was a big boy now. How dull.

"Good Morning Mother, Father. How are you today?" Harry asked politely and formally. He never erred on the side of bad manners. In fact after being screamed at that he was a 'uncouth brat', Harry had read and implemented training on how to act the perfect pureblood. He now had the behavior down pat and behaved like a twenty year old man. Jamie also had been taught it, but he was given the credit of 'changing his erroneous brothers ways'. Something both boys found to be frankly annoying and aggravating.

"Harry," James said frowning at his youngest. The boy was dressed in black slacks and a white button down shirt, his black hair neatly combed and wore a pair of bottle green robes over his shirt. The boy looked like a little Slytherin prince. "I am well. How are you?" Years of pureblood mannerism training from his parents made the replies almost instantaneous now. Although James couldn't quite figure out where Harry had learnt it, he had always assumed Jamie had taught the boy, but only Harry had ever employed the techniques.

"I am well Father, thank you." Harry bowed slightly concluding the greeting. He smirked as his slightly unnerved parents turned their attention back to his unfortunate brother. A brother who was loyal to none but him. And vice versa.

Jamie caught his brothers almost inconspicuous smirk, he was amused. Jamie was too, after all his-their father was an idiot for not realising that Harry was by far the more intelligent of the two. Not that James Sr. or Lily would ever admit that, Harry was mostly invisible to their eyes and Jamie could do no wrong. It was like one of the very bad soap operas their Mother liked to watch on Sunday afternoons.

Even so, despite all the heartache and problems their parents indifference caused for the twins, and the over-enthusiastic approach to the raising of their eldest son, Lily and James still loved their children. Equally, although they'd never show it. After all, in their minds they had an almost certain 'rest of their lives' mind set to help their youngest son get over their treatment of him, while Jamie they felt had probably until his twentieth birthday to live. A time limit that weighed heavily upon their hearts and minds, because they knew that Jamie would have to die in order to complete the prophecy, such was what Albus Dumbledore himself had told them. And such was their belief, never thinking to question the old mans proposal, and accepting that their son would never grow old nor die a more natural death. And so, the youngest to them was unnecessary to coddle, as they would have years with him, instead of the limit that Jamie was living.

"So, Jamie, want to go flying?" James Potter asked, oblivious to the fact that neither of his sons trusted, nor liked him very much. And had either of them been old enough to be emancipated, they both would be. The conversation turned to more pleasant things as Jamie was dragged outside by his father, Harry disappeared once more into the library, planning on making some fever reducer potion and attempt Felix felicitis, just because. As he did so, Harry smirked at his brothers whining as their father for dragging him to do such a boring thing as flying. Jamie would probably prefer to play something like knights and maidens, his brother was a sucker for hero stories, which was ironic in a way.

Lily Potter sat on the couch, watching her family go. She felt a vague sense of unease, both boys spent a lot of time in the library. Especially Harry. Harry also was very advanced for his age, he always had been, she was sure the child would get into Ravenclaw, he showed all the signs of being a child prodigy, something she felt guilt over as she'd never bothered to encourage him. However, be that as it may, she thought unhappily, Harry seemed to be leading Jamie astray; not necessarily in a bad way, but she and James felt that Jamie should be out enjoying himself, not reading books all day. Even though Jamie had training and homework as The Boy-Who-Lived, Lily still felt that her son should have a good and decent childhood. But even Lily, for all her faults, her neglect, and emotional abuse didnt want to see her youngest son sent away, which was what would happen if she raised her concerns with James. And so Lily said nothing about her sense of unease, and said nothing about the boys obsession with books, after all, they were nearly nine. What could they get up to?

**:Nine and a Half Years:**

Jamie sat at their table. Harry was standing in the corner, his face a mask of concentration over a potion he was making. The fumes were noxious at best, but none of them reached Jamie. His brother had, after a fairly explosive potions accident, developed a way to drain the fumes away from the people in the Library and a glass funnel sent the fumes out of the window. It was fairly ingenious and would probably make a lot of money among potion masters one day, if Harry could be persuaded to actually tell people about his innovation; Jamie had been very proud of his brother when the invention had been demonstrated.

While this was happening, the elder Potter's never knew what their son's were doing. In fact if it wasn't for the occasional dropping in at meal times, neither parent would know about their having a second son nor that their eldest son was doing anything but messing around. Although, neither boy gave their mother much credit, as she did know something was up and had a fairly good idea, the only reason she hadn't said anything was more for her own preference of ignorance than any true cunning on the boys part. Finishing his chapter, Jamie stared at his industrious brother, the green eyes hard with concentration and intelligence. Jamie watched him for a while longer, until finally unable to hide his curiosity, Jamie walked over to his brother.

"What are you doing?" He asked Harry; his hazel eyes sparkling with curiosity.

Harry shot him a grin, "It's a memory potion. It's a basic second year potion they use to test your level of competence." Harry grinned even more broadly. Jamie matched Harry's grin with one of his own, despite not truly understanding potions. "It also unlocks your memories that you've forgotten and enhances your memory temporarily."

"Y managing it?" Jamie asked, craning his neck and peered into the cauldron, he looked dubiously at the purple bubbling potion, it's vaguely murky depths teaming with unsavoury creatures.

"Of course, technically I'm up to third year in potions, but then, these potions are all pretty similar so its not too hard." Harry smiling smugly, his face still smiling broadly as he added in powdered sider legs. "And if I'm not mistaken, despite my slight changes, it's damn perfect!"

"Slight changes?" Jamie asked hesitantly, taking a step backwards eyeing the potion warily. The last time Harry had experimented was when he'd attempted Felix Felicitus, the resulting explosion (from compatible and normally non explosive ingredients) had been impressive and terrifying. Jamie still had nightmares about it.

Harry rolled his eyes. "Yes, changes, but nothing bad is going to happen. I've been working on this for a month now. So no worries."

Jamie hummed non-comittedly, but he trusted his brother, and if Harry said it was perfect then it probably was. Although, that didn't mean he had to like it.

"When are you done then?" Jamie asked, mildly curious and wondering when the library would be safe again.

Harry quirked his lips into a half smile, amused. "In about half an hour."

"Hmm." Jamie hummed again and rather rapidly backed away. The last hour or so o brewing was usually volatile at best. And while Harry was a potions whiz, that didn't mean Jamie enjoyed the prospect of possible dismemberment. "Have fun with that then."

Harry chuckled as he stirred his potion thirty two times counter clockwise, alternating a clockwise stir every third stir. "I will. I'm surprised you haven't asked what it does."

"You told me already." Jamie said, reseating himself on his chair and staring a new chapter on household charms.

Harry smiled in amusement. "No, I told you what the original potion does."

Jamie 'ah-ed' and turned a page negligently.

"The affects with be permanent and will give the drinker an eidetic memory." Harry continued, nonchalantly. Jamie hummed uninterested lay, only half paying attention.

Harry smirked and shrugged. Despite what his brother thought, Harry really was a potions prodigy; there truly was nothing he couldn't do in potions. He was able to categorise any and every plant and ingredient in his head, while his powers of recall were phenomenal. Rather like Jamie's own when it came to spells and pranks, particularly charms. And while Jamie was no where near creating his first spell, as that was sixth year stuff, he was almost up to third year theoretical material. Harry on the other hand was so good at potions that despite his brothers forbidding him creating new ones, he'd created this. Admittedly it was only a slight tinkering on an already perfected recipe, which really wasn't the same, but still, none the less it was impressive to say the least. Harry felt a truly well deserved sense of pride about it.

Harry hummed to himself, a sort of funeral dirge as he poured out two goblets of the potion, drawing Jamie's attention once more.

"You know, music like that doesn't inspire much confidence in your brewing abilities." Jamie commented.

Harry huffed and glared at his brother. "Shush, you."

Jamie bit back a grin and wandered over as Harry picked up the goblet and prepared to down it in one. "So, a memory potion huh, a temporary one at that." He eyed the still smoking goblet.

Harry grumbled and put his down and glared at Jamie. "Yes, memory, will give drinker eidetic memory. Also known as photographic memory. It's been enhanced so its permanent and will allow the drinker to remember everything they have been through with consistent clarity."

Jamie ducked his head ashamed, clearly Harry had already told him this, if his annoyance and frustration was anything to go by. "Right, sorry. Most impressive."

Harry nodded, and picked up his goblet once again. "I know. That's your one if you want to try it. I'm certain it will work and that there will be no adverse reactions caused."

Jamie hummed and picked the goblet up, trusting his brother to know what he was talking about. "Okay, I trust you."

"Good." Harry grinned and winked at his brother. "Bottoms up!"

The twins chugged the potion down, once again proving themselves to be rather silly, as any potion should be tested properly rather than just drunk. Any memory potion can have serious effects, such as wiping your entire memory or causing a personality switch. However, luckily for both boys, Harry had got everything absolutely correct and the potion did exactly as it was supposed to.

The first thing they felt was cold. It was the icy cold of midwinter, the cold of fresh snow on bare skin, cold icily crawling along their veins. Their muscles trembled and quivered at the cold reversed. Now, heat, hot, boiling, scaling heat throbbed through their veins. Flat on their backs, neither remembered falling, neither remembered screaming themselves hoarse as they were held at the mercy of their memories. James and Lily peering down at them smiling happily, fat fists waving at a black haired, grey eyed laughing man, the brief memory of an amber eyed man with scars running over his face, a twitchy nosed man with watery blue eyes. Then there were others. A dog and a rat and a stag romping around the back yard as Lily held them, her face laughing and her green, green eyes sparkling with happiness. Darkness of shadows haunting them as they lay awake at nighttime waiting for sleep to come. A flittering of a lullaby and a male voice crooning, his grey eyes watching them fondly. The sounds of terror and fear below, the crash of a door, raised voices.

Then nightmares personified standing above them, cold red eyes watching them cunningly, a white wand hesitating between them. The wand point moving to point at the green eyed twin. Silence and then the spoken, dreaded words, yelling crying and sobbing. Pain, blinding white, a raging roaring sound and then silence once more. The grey eyed man was back, his panicked hands patting down the babes his voice sobbing and relieved and then the crack of apparition and their being wrenched from the mans arms as their parents sobbed and cried over their tired forms.

Harry snapped awake, his body heavy and tired from exhaustion. He sat up and pushed the blankets back and staggered from his room. He had no memory of how he ended up in his room, nor anything else, instead there was one blinding and terrifying piece of knowledge at the forefront of his mind. He, not Jamie, had defeated the Dark lord. He was the Boy Who Lived.

Jamie was standing frozen outside his bedroom door, his hazel eyes wide and horrified as he stared at his brother. "Please, _please_ don't leave me!" He whispered.

Harry ran over to him and hugged him tightly. "I'm not going anywhere, promise."

**:Ten Years:**

It was the twins tenth birthday, and everyone who was anyone was invited. Except Death Eaters, cleared or not; after all, it was the saviors birthday, you couldn't have that kind of riff raff hanging about. Harry Potter was seated in the library, completely forgotten. He didn't mind, he was reading anyway; if it hadn't been for the occasional squeals of joy and excitement, he was fairly certain that he wouldn't even know about said party. Jamie was down stairs playing good host to the poor unfortunate unintelligent souls who had graced Potter Manor for the day, frankly Harry was pleased he had escaped the entire farce. He hated socialising unnecessarily.

The book on his lap was one on the Dark Arts, Harry himself didn't care that the Dark Arts was illegal, it was knowledge, pure and simple, but what did interest him was the fact that there *was* a dark arts book in the library of a supposed light oriented family. He supposed he'd have to pull out the family grimoir to find answers, but that was a task for another day. Harry hummed, peeping at the cauldron that was half the room away, it was bubbling away nicely. It wasn't much more than a standard healing potion, but one that normally wouldn't be tested until fifth year. Jamie had been evasively answered, as Harry was certain his brother would disprove of his testing of his abilities. What Jamie didn't understand was that he needed to test himself, and so far he was sure he was going to be able to pull it off. Which, in and of itself, said more than Harry being just a good brewer, besides, he was sure it wasn't going to be the Felix Felicitus incident again. Harry smirked to himself and retuned to his book, pleased with himself and confident that no one would find him.

A tall, greasy haired man slipped into the nearest room, disgusted by what was happening downstairs. He was going to axe murder Albus next time he saw the old coot. Severus Snape turned around silently, he was in a massive domed library. It was covered in thick ropes of dust and looked completely unused. Typical Potter, largest library in south England and it wasn't even used what a waste. Severus lowered his eyes to the table that was placed beneath a window. In the chair beside it sat a boy, he couldn't have been more than eight, he looked like the brat downstairs. Short, skinny, with a shock of messy dark hair and overly large glasses perched upon the bridge of a small nose adorning the pointy face. Severus walked, silently, towards the boy, interested in what he was reading. Severus completely missed the gently bubbling cauldron off to the corner, the disillusionment spell Jamie had cast doing its job well.

"And precisely who are you?" The boy asked, lifting his head and meeting the obsidian gaze with harsh emerald orbs.

Snape blinked, surprised. "Professor Severus Snape, Potions Master at Hogwarts."

"I see." The boy said, cocking his head off to the side. "Why aren't you downstairs?"

Snape frowned, he hadn't known that there had been a second Potter child, and as he observed the boy and his surroundings, he finally noticed the cauldron behind him. What was the boy up to? "I could ask you the same question." Severus replied. "Why do you hide up here buried in a dusty old book when you could be running around with the other children."

Severus wasn't certain, but he was sure that most children would prefer to play than read. But then, what would he know, he was only a teacher and a reluctant one at that.

"You can ask, but I won't tell." The boy replied cheekily, his green eyes dancing behind his glasses. "And I don't like people very much. Jamie says I have trouble relating to them." The boy shrugged.

"I see." Severus said softly. And indeed he did, he himself had been similar when he was a child, preferring his books to others company. He was still like that.

"I'm sorry." The boy suddenly said.

Severus frowned lightly. "Why are you sorry?"

"I didn't tell you my name. Jamie will be really unhappy I forgot my manners." The boy smiled. "I'm Harry, Jamie's twin brother."

"A pleasure to meet you." Severus said, starting to observe the boy once more. "Who's potion, Harry?" He asked.

Harry grinned. "Mums."

Severus seriously doubted that. Lily had just mentioned to him that she was sadly out of practise with her brewing as James had converted the Potions Lab into a duelling arena for Jamie. Which left the bratty Boy Who Lived or his quiet and apparently timorous brother Harry. Severus hummed in answer as he approached the cauldron. A standard fifth year potion of healing. Inexpertly brewed, a test then. Decently done.

"Her skills seem to be rusty." Severus murmured, his long fingered hands carefully sorting through the ingredients and checking the width of the sliced boomslang. "None the less, a good attempt."

Harry brightened and smiled at the man. "Thanks."

"How long have you been brewing then?" Severus inquired, adding three clockwise stirs, bringing the potion to its proper colour and then gently sifting horned slugs through it. It turned a bright blue and settled gently.

Harry didn't even realise he'd been made, too entranced with watching the man brew. The precise movements were akin to poetry in motion. Marvellous.

"Since I was seven." He said.

Severus smiled thinly, an expression foreign to his face. "I see."

The doors exploded inwards as Jamie ran in. "_Harry_!" He shouted, his eyes flashing with ire, he missed the tall dark figure of the potions master hovering over his brothers cauldron.

Harry turned to his brother, Snape sliding from his mind. "Jay?"

"It's ridiculous! Honestly! I hate this! Are you sure we can't curse father?" Jamie asked angrily.

Harry smiled whimsically. "Curse no, but feel free to prank him."

Jamie pouted. "I'm sure he'd look better without arms or legs."

Severus choked at the thought. And although he agreed on principal, it was apparent that both the Potter twins were unexpectedly different to what he had been expecting.

"What's he done anyway?" Harry was asking.

Jamie complained long and loud about being forced to play Quidditch and listen to whiny brats from boring and unimportant families who only wanted to know him because he was the boy who bloody wouldn't die.

Severus smiled and absentmindedly sifted in the boomslang skin into the potion, adding unicorn tail hair afterwards. Harry and Jamie continued to discuss their fathers demise while Severus listened in attentively. The theories and arguments they presented showed a high level of understanding of above third year theoretical knowledge. Although, they did get some things wrong.

"You cannot turn your father into a pumpkin." Severus stated, idly as he stirred the potion fifty six times in a clockwise motion, turning it bright red. "The inter-ratio of mass and size would leave the pumpkin deformed."

Jamie and Harry spun around, apparently having either forgotten about him or completely missed him upon arrival.

"Who the hell are you?" Jamie asked surprised.

"Severus Snape, he's the potions master at Hogwarts." Harry interjected before Secerus could answer.

"He knows." Jamie said calmly, fingering a wand he was suddenly holding in his hands.

"Why do you have Father's wand again?" Harry asked, eyeing the wand warily.

"Stole it." Jamie replied.

Harry took two steps back. "Don't blow me up again!"

Jamie pouted. "It was once! Two years ago!" Jamie scowled at his brother. "Which is nothing compared to my almost dismemberment from that Felix Felicitus incident!"

"I said I was sorry!" Harry said, his green eyes amused.

Severus watched them interact as he bottled the now completed potion. It was substandard for him but none the less a good attempt. "Felix Felicitus?"

"Harry tried brewing it when we were nine." Jamie stated sourly, glaring at his brother.

Severus hummed. "I see."

"And I said I was sorry!" Harry stressed his words harshly.

"At any rate, what are we going to do about him?" Jamie asked, jerking his head at the now idle teacher standing beside the dirty cauldron.

"You're not obliviating him!" Harry said hastily. "The last time you tried that the cat thought it was a bird!"

Jamie rolled his eyes. "I wasn't going to."

"Perhaps," Severus said, thinking it was best to just reason with the apparently worried and dangerous children in front of him. "I could be of use to you once you arrive at Hogwarts?"

The twins thought upon that, their eyes dark as they regarded him. "Fine, we'll do that then."

Severus nodded, relieved. "Is there anything I can do to ensure you of my good intentions?"

Jamie frowned and seemed to have a silent conversation with his brother. "Yes." He said finally. "Can you take a letter to my godfather, Sirius Black?"

Severus winced. "I can." Frankly, it was better than being obliviated by a ten year old boy. "I'll need an assurance from you that I mean no harm to him. Black and I do not get along well."

Harry shrugged and let Jamie write while using their fathers wand to duplicate three memories of his. It was time for Sirius, Remus Lupin and Severus to know the truth. Perhaps it was silly to entrust the truth with them, but it had to be done. Harry knew from his and Jamie's memories that Sirius and Remus had lived them equally, although Remus had disappeared for some reason and Sirius had been banned by James. At any rate, he and his brother were no longer alone.

**:Eleventh Birthday:**

This was it! Today was the day, the boys would be getting their letters from Hogwarts. James Potter was incredibly excited, so much so that he almost considered inviting his old friends Sirius Black and Remus Lupin over, before remembering Lily's intense dislike of the pair and felt glad he hadn't mentioned it. James paced the living room, remembering Dumbledore's assurances that both letters would be sent at the same time, despite Harry being born on the first. After all, it made it all so much easier for the Potter parents. Besides, it wouldn't do to have the youngest Potter son jealous of his only brother. As time had passed, James had opened his eyes to the idea that Jamie and Harry were very close, but there still seemed a certain distance between them. James forwent any explanation except jealousy, because that was what had divided he and Sirius on more than one occasion, and it never occur to the eldest male Potter that it could be anything else.

Jamie woke early, but despite his overwhelming excitement over his eleventh birthday, he nonetheless shunned the living room until almost lunch time. His brother, Harry, followed him silently, his green eyes grave as he faced the prospect that as the true eldest, only his letter would arrive at all. Something that had not seemed to occurs to Jamie at all. Of course, Jamie had overheard his father and Dumbledore talking and so found nothing to worry over, but sadly he had failed to mention this to his brother, because he had been easily distracted by Harry's latest invention of a golden potion that changed the drinker into a bird of paradise. Not what Harry had been aiming for, but still fairly awesome.

When the twins walked into the living room, their faces immediately turned to their father who held two identical envelopes, addressed in emerald green ink. James' face broke out into a blissful smile as he took in his son's, antagonism forgotten in the face of his sons going to Hogwarts for the first time. Lily sat in her favourite armchair by the fire, her book forgotten in her lap as she too remembered her time at Hogwarts and the high expectations she held for her sons.

"Here you go boys." James said exuberantly, bouncing on the balls of his feet. He handed the envelopes to his sons and stood in front of them, still excitedly bouncing as he watched his youngest open his letter with no small amount of trepidation.

Harry stood staring at the letter in relief, it didn't matter that he actually held Jamie's, their father getting the pair mixed up once again. Trembling fingers opened the letter, as relief rolled over him. He read the inscription, his enhanced memory memorising the list and what was needed. Jamie stood beside his brother and smiled at the green eyed twin, both of them feeling as though they were about to embark on a grand adventure.

It took less than an hour for the Potter family to get ready and to floo to Diagon Alley, and the twins, for the first time, stood in the portal looking out over the alleyway. The crowded shops and street were filled with people wearing robes of all different colours, shapes, sizes. There were people discussing the latest delivery of dragon liver, the cats and owls in the magical menagerie shrieking and yowling as people passed them by. Kids yelled and laughed, dancing between their parents and guardians. Students were bustling about, harried and exhausted, carrying packages and parcels as big as themselves.

Harry grinned and meeting his twins eyes, they plunged into the crowd. Ignoring their parents dismayed yells for them to come back.

"Harry Evans! James Sirius! Get back here!" Lily yelled over the din, people making way for the angry red headed mother.

James followed her grinning, yes, this was is. His sons, so like he had been, doing what he had done to his grandmother Dorea almost twenty years ago now. James couldn't help but laugh at his wife's expression. "Come on Lily, theres not harm in them having a bit of fun. Let them play for a while longer."

Lily sighed and grumped but allowed her husband to lead her into Madam Malkin's where why bought their sons robes. A quick stop by the book shop found Harry piled high with not only his school books but also twenty others on potions, transfiguration, charms and defence. He looked halfway guilty when he caught his fathers incredulous expression.

"Just like his mother." James sighed, but in the spirit of the moment, bought the books for him anyway. He rolled his eyes as Lily and Harry started to talk about the latest potions discoveries and what potions at Hogwarts would be like. James didn't join in until Harry asked him what Transfiguration was like. Excited about his own preferred subject, James waxed lyrical about classes and the teacher, Minnie McG as Sirius had dubbed her in their fifth year. Even Lily laughed at the remembrances James expounded on.

Jamie was found in the menagerie store, a white owl perched upon his head and imperiously staring around her. Harry laughed at the sight his brother made and James sourly purchased her, eyeing the dangerous talons and beak she clicked at him. Lily hid a grin as the evil bird snapped at James' fingers and Harry sniggered all the way to Ollivanders.

Half and hour later the quartet exited the wand store, stunned and dismayed by the wand choices. Jamie had been given Voldemort's brother wand, the honey coloured wood was enclosed in its box, but it weighed heavily in Harry's pocket. Of course, the Potter parents had confused their sons again, missing that it had been Harry who had been chosen by the holly wand, not Jamie. Jamie instead choosing a aspen wand with Phoenix feather. So while the adults bemoaned Jamie's supposed fate, the brothers clung to each other subtly, eyes wide and fearful.

The rest of the day past quickly, the Potter's hurrying home, terrified of the fate creeping up on them like a silent and creepy dog.

* * *

_A/N:this story is currently being updated, please note that because of this it will not run entirely smoothly, however I don't see the point of removing the next few chapters. Feel free to let me know what you think, so far there will be no pairings, and romance will feature barely at all. (So please don't ask.) Reviews are always welcome._

_Regards, AHBK1_


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